Harassment and violence against Israeli Ambassador in Spain

Last Wednesday 8 February, for the events regarding “The Oslo Agreements: a commemoration” the Israeli Ambassador in Spain was invited by the Faculty of Philology of the Universidad Complutense of Madrid to give a conference on the subject in said academic centre.

The days prior to the event, the representative of the Palestinian Authority, self-proclaimed ambassador (of en “embassy” paid for by the Spanish citizens, not the Palestinians) made an exhibition without any incidents, despite representing a government that has had no elections since 2006; a regime with a horrendous record of abuse of human rights of its citizens, their political, religious, opinion, or press liberties, not to speak of the rights of women or homosexuals.

For weeks they had been announcing a violent boycott against the presence of the Ambassador of the democratic state of Israel. The names of the organisers of this boycott did not appear, but it was broadcast, among others, by “Frente de Estudiantes, “Estudiantes en movimiento”, or “A.U. La Chispa“.

These organisations belong to the radical left of Madrid, associated with the environment of Unidas Podemos, member of Spanish National coalition government. In fact, this violent protest was announced in premises of this party.

Other organisations that sympathise with the terrorism of Palestinian groups such as Samidoun (support network of the terrorist group PFLP, recognised by the European Union as a terrorist group) or Alkarama led the violent protests. It is not the first time that some of the protestors (who are not students) take part in acts of violence against Israelis, Jews, and friends of Israel.

When the Ambassador arrived in the University a mob of about 40 people decided to enter the University with the clear intent of sabotaging the conference.

There was a moment when the security of the Ambassador was in danger of being overwhelmed, so it was necessary to send urgently riot police to dissuade the mob from their intentions of physical aggression.

Even so, the Ambassador had to be evacuated to a safe room in the face of imminent physical danger, and her security detail had to take deterring measures.

While the Ambassador was protected in said room, the violent mob almost knocked down the door of where she was. The police was forced to make two arrests.

Today, the violent protestors have announced with impunity another protest in Madrid, faced with the passivity of the authorities. The protest is organised by the same groups, extremely violent and sympathisers of terrorism, who are provoking these aggressions. Any person who is evidently Jewish or Israeli in the vicinity of these protests is in clear and imminent danger.

We demand that the Home Office takes action against these groups, identifies those responsible, makes the necessary arrests, and takes the necessary preventive measures to stop this extremely dangerous radical escalation in Madrid.

In the absence of actions from the Government and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ACOM will take legal action to defend the right to freedom of expression and academic freedom in our country.

Also, we demand the immediate action of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate and immediately make these agitator groups illegal.

We remind them that many of these antisemitic associations currently have public financing thanks to the Socialist Party that keeps paralysed the definitive application of the measures proposed by the Assembly of Madrid, already approved in first instance in the Spanish Parliament. These measures would prevent them from accessing grants, public contracts, and the legalisation of groups involved in these acts of hatred.

Until this is materialised, we consider the government of Mr Sánchez responsible and an accomplice of this extremely dangerous trend. And any measure he proposes to “fight against antisemitism” will be a mere façade to save face.